Etructure and magnetic properties of FeTaN films prepared by Co sputtering

There is significant interest in Fe-based soft magnetic tbin fihns from both a fundamental materials perspective and due to their potential cxploitatlon in magnetic recording heads. FeTaN thin films have received much attention as they a s excellent candidates for use as pole tip materials due to h~@ saturation magnetisation, good mechanical properties and high comsion resistance [1,2]. We have chosen to prepare a range of FeTa and F e T d films by co-sputtuing fmm separate Fe and Ta w e t s to allow maximum control over film composition. Crydlimty and m i c m ~ c l n r e have bcen invcsligated as a function of both tantalum and nitrogen content with a view to understanding the resultant magnetic properties.